Take a Hike

On Saturday November 7th, I joined my coworkers Tony, Lee, and Dale for a hike. We met at the River Highlands State Park on a beautiful Fall day where the sun was shining and the temperature was near 70F.

The occasion was to get together one more time before Tony's retirement. Although his official last day is the end of the year, his vacation time makes his last "work" day to be the day before Thanksgiving (i.e., Wednesday November 25th). And since we have been working from our "virtual offices" (home) since mid-March due to COVID-19, we have not seen each other face-to-face for months (although we talk/Skype with each other many times during the week).

Normally, we would've got together for a meal. But in today's atmosphere of fear, we thought a hike was more appropriate: fresh air, sunshine, ability to social distance, exercise, and it's an activity that we all enjoy (and the park is close to Tony's home).

Our plan was to meet at the parking lot at 1 p.m. The first challenge was that there was no sign to indicate the presence of the park, let alone the existence of the parking lot. Thankfully, having a copy of the above map helped me to find the place (on time!). Tony was already there and Dale and Lee soon arrived.

I estimate that we covered about 2 miles total. We started out North on the white trail, then took the yellow trail east to the campsite at the river (see picture), Then we scaled a gully in a steep hill to a bluff overlooking the river and followed the white trail north again. The dirt trails were marked with appropriately colored swatches of paint on strategic trees. Fallen leavens obscured the path as well as roots and stones. There were a surprising number of people also enjoying the park: families, dogs, and mountain bikers.

View (looking East) of the Connecticut River.

On the bluff overlooking the river (Lee took the picture).

We headed west on the green trail when it intersected with the white trail. A railroad track separates the park from the TPC River Highlands Golf Course (where the Travelers Championship is held each summer). We headed south on the green trail and at some point we picked up the blue trail and then the blue/white trail. The white trail took us back to the parking lot.

With marvelous foresight and generosity, Lee brought a cooler with homemade brew which we enjoyed while chatting in the parking lot (maintaining the properly prescribed social distance). Lee presented Tony with a token of our appreciation: a custom produced wood puzzle (250 pieces) showing the skyline of Hartford, including the Travelers Tower. In hindsight, a puzzle is actually an appropriate reminder of the work that we do, Sherlock Holmes of property insurance risk control.

(L to R) Rick, Lee, Tony, Dale.

Although we didn't cover a tremendous distance, the climbing about was quite different from walking a similar distance on a flat, paved path (like I do on the FasTrak path). All-in-all, I thought the event was very satisfying enjoyable. Perhaps it will inspire me to do more hiking.

-----------------------------------

Links:
https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/State-Parks/Parks/River-Highlands-State-Park
https://tpc.com/riverhighlands/
-------------------------------------
Written Saturday 14 November 2020.

Intricate Beauty

 

This is my first post in quite a while, since my computer got soaked when a toilet in an apartment above overflowed the evening of Saturday August 8th (08/08). I intend to post about that (retroactively?).

A few days ago, as I was straightening up, I took apart the beer box shown in the picture above. As it was spread out on top of the kitchen counter, I was struck by the intricate complexity of how it had been produced out of a single sheet of paperboard. Stuff like this is easy to take for granted and overlook. And yet someone had to think about how to arrange the images so that they made sense when it was folded into a box. It also had to be strong enough to hold 12 cans full of liquid/beer. And it had to be cut and folded and glued. I just gazed at it for awhile. As I write this, the actual piece is at my side, a glance away because the picture above does not quite capture the amazingness of it. Of course, it will be tossed in the trash today. But still... Amazing.

After I pondered the amazing  intricate beauty of the beer box, I noticed the beauty of the empty red soda cans on the counter waiting for their trip to the recycling center (so I can get my nickel deposit back). My sister, Amy, takes pictures of gorgeous outdoor scenery at the beach and lakes that often show reflections so that you aren't really sure which way is truly up. The above picture is almost like that.

And my life is sort of like that right now, in this age of Covid-19 isolation: sometimes not sure which way is right-side up. And yet...there is beauty and God's grandeur silently around us, waiting to be noticed, to remind us ....

------------------------------------

Written Saturday 7 November 2020.